MAAC Women's Soccer Championship Matchup Set
MAAC Sports
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – It will be No. 1 facing No. 2 when the Monmouth University women’s soccer team takes on Fairfield University in the title game of the 2013 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship on Monday at 12:00 p.m.
The winner of the match, which will be televised live on ESPN3, will receive the MAAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA’s 64-team field Division I Women’s Soccer championship.
The top-seeded Hawks, the MAAC’s regular season champions, received an opening round bye and advanced to the MAAC Championship final with a 1-0 win over ninth-seeded Canisius in the quarterfinals on Friday, and a 3-0 victory over fifth-seeded Rider in the semifinals on Sunday.
In its first season in the MAAC, the Hawks have enjoyed an outstanding season, and are 16-1-2 overall and have not lost in their last 13 matches. Monmouth swept through the MAAC’s regular season awards as Krissy Turner was named Anaconda Coach of the Year, Alexis McTamney was selected as Rookie of the Year, goalkeeper Ashley Lewis was Goalkeeper of the Year, and forward Dana Costello was named Offensive Player of the Year. The Hawks also placed six on the All-MAAC first team.
Fairfield finished second with a 7-2-1 record, and has raised its overall mark to 12-6-2. The Stags advanced to the MAAC Championship title game with a scoreless tie against tenth-seeded Manhattan on Friday, advancing with a 4-2 edge in penalty kicks, and a 1-0 win over sixth-seeded Siena on Sunday.
Fairfield is led by explosive forward Ashley Small, a junior who is second in the MAAC with 13 goals. It was Small’s solo goal that proved to be the margin of victory over Siena. Back Emma Pichl was named the MAAC’s Defensive Player of the Year, but suffered a season ending injury in the quarterfinal round victory over the Jaspers. Nikki Stanton, a midfielder, also was selected All-MAAC first team.
While the Hawks are in the MAAC Championship title game in their first season in the league, the Stags are making their ninth appearance in the finals, but their first appearance in the title game since 2008, when they defeated Loyola 3-0. Since the tournament’s inception in 1992, Fairfield has won seven women’s soccer championships, and was runnerup once.
In the only meeting of the two teams this year, Monmouth defeated Fairfield 2-0 on Oct. 5. McTamney and Alexa Freguletti each contributed goals for the Hawks’ win.